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Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Sylvia Sharp, John Ussak and George Henrie have long wanted to become RCMP officers.
The three leave for the RCMP training academy in Regina this week.
For Sharp, her dream of becoming an RCMP officer started as a 12-year-old attending school in Sooke, B.C.
Sharp won an essay contest at her school with a top prize of having lunch with an RCMP officer.
"After lunch, the officer took me back to the detachment and then we drove around the community in his cruiser," says Sharp. "That afternoon I decided I wanted to become an officer."
Henrie says ever since he was a kid he wanted to be either a pilot or an RCMP officer.
He spent the summer of 2000 working as a special constable in Rankin Inlet and that pushed him in the direction of the RCMP.
"I really enjoyed my time during that summer," says Henrie. "Some people liked me, some thanked me, and some people hated me and wanted to kill me. It was an exciting job. I decided this is what I want to do with my life."
John Ussak has spent the past three years in Rankin working as a community constable.
An early experience with the Youth Service of Canada in Rankin made him think about becoming an officer.
"I've enjoyed my three years as a community constable and I'm looking forward to becoming a regular member," he says.
"I enjoyed it when other officers came to me for advice and I was able to help them with the language and better understand Inuit culture.
"Once I'm a regular member, I'll be interested in going to the schools and encouraging our youth to stay in school and look at the force as a good career opportunity."
Training is expected to last 22 weeks, depending on the recruits' performance.
Sharp says she'll be glad when the waiting is over and the program begins.
"I never thought I'd make it this far," says Sharp. "I'm really nervous waiting for the day to arrive, but, I'm also excited and hopeful that I'll make it."
